Notice Type
Departmental
Notice Title

Special Direction—Extension of Visas Held by Certain Partners and Dependents of Employer-Assisted Workers to Manage Effects and Deal with Consequences of Measures Taken to Contain or Mitigate the Outbreak of COVID-19 or its Effects

Under section 78A of the Immigration Act 2009 (“Act”), by special direction, I extend the visas held by the following class of people:

Every person who holds a temporary visa as a partner or dependent of a person whose employer-assisted work visa was extended in accordance with section 78A of the Act by special direction (New Zealand Gazette, 10 July 2020, Notice No 2020-go3070) (“principal visa holder”), and whose current visa has an expiry date, as recorded in accordance with section 62(2)(c) of the Act, from the date this special direction is signed up to 31 December 2020 (inclusive).

For the avoidance of doubt, visas that expire in accordance with section 63(2) of the Act are not included.

Their visas are extended to bring them in line with the extension granted to the principal visa holder. For example, if the principal visa holder’s employer-assisted work visa was extended for a period of six months from 1 September 2020 to 1 March 2021 then any individuals who are onshore, on temporary visas linked to that principal visa holder will also be extended until 1 March 2021.

I am satisfied that the making of this special direction is reasonably necessary to manage the effects, or deal with the consequences of, measures taken under the Act or any other enactment to contain or mitigate the outbreak of COVID-19 or its effects. This is because with border restrictions, these visa holders (who are here on visas associated with their partner’s or parent’s previously extended visas) face difficulty departing New Zealand and, due to the impact of COVID-19, there would be significant issues with processing further visa applications from this group.

This special direction expires on 31 December 2020 unless revoked earlier.

Dated this 17th day of August 2020.

Hon KRIS FA’AFOI, Minister of Immigration.

Explanatory Note

The effect of this special direction is to extend the visas of the class of persons described in this direction (being partners and dependent children of employer assisted work visa holders whose visas were extended under section 78A of the Act, where that partner or dependent child’s visa would have expired between the date of signature and 31 December 2020 (inclusive)) for the duration of the associated employer-assisted work visa holder’s visa.